Geothermal investigations in Idaho. Part 8. Heat flow study of the Snake River Plain region, Idaho

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7300489· OSTI ID:7300489

Brott, C A; Blackwell, D D; Mitchell, J C

The Snake River Plain of Idaho has recent lava flows and a large number of thermal springs and wells. A heat flow study was initiated which, together with available geological and geophysical information, allows a better definition of the geothermal resource and evaluation of the geothermal potential. Local geothermal anomalies were not the objects of this study and have not been studied in detail. The quality of the heat flow values obtained varies as interpretation was necessary to determine geothermal gradients for many of the holes which had disturbances. A major problem in determining the heat flow values is the lack of knowledge of the in situ porosity of the rocks. The heat flow values obtained for the Eastern Snake River Plain are from shallow wells (< 200 m), hence the heat flow there is low (< 0.5 HFU) because of the water movement in the Snake Plain aquifer. The anomalous regional heat flow pattern around the Snake River Plain, together with other geophysical and geological data, suggest the presence of a major crustal heat source. With the exception of the area of the Snake Plain aquifer, high geothermal gradients were found in all areas of southern Idaho (40 to 100/sup 0/C/km). Temperatures hot enough for space heating can be found most anywhere in the Plain at relatively shallow depths (1 to 2 km). Temperatures hot enough for electrical power generation (200/sup 0/C) can be found beneath southern Idaho almost anywhere at depths of 3 to 4 kilometers. The Plain is fault bounded and hot water circulating along the fault zones from depths can be a very important geothermal resource at shallow depths. The margins of the Plain have the highest heat flow values, are the most faulted, and have possibly the highest geothermal resource potential.

• Research Organization: Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (USA); Idaho Dept. of Water Resources, Boise (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7300489
• Report Number(s): NP-22003/8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150301* -- Geothermal Exploration &amp; Exploration Technology-- Geophysical Techniques &amp; Surveys
AQUIFERS
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
GEOTHERMAL HEATING
GEOTHERMAL SPACE HEATING
Geothermal Legacy
HEAT FLOW
HEATING
IDAHO
IGNEOUS ROCKS
LAVA
MAPS
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
RHYOLITES
ROCKS
SPACE HEATING
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMAL SPRINGS
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WELL LOGGING
WELLS